JVC DLA-RS35 Projector Review

February 28, 2010 - Art Feierman

The JVC RS35′s 2:1 aspect ratio zoom lens provides plenty of placement flexibility to either ceiling or shelf mount. To fill a 100 inch diagonal, 16:9 aspect ratio screen, the front of the projector can be as close as 9 feet, 11 inches, or as far back as 20 feet, 2 inches. Using these measurements for 100 inches, you can figure out the range for any other screen size. These are the same as with last year’s JVC projectors.

DLA-RS35 Lens Shift

The RS35 has lots of lens shift too, and it’s motorized. For that same 100 inch screen, the projector can be placed anywhere between 15 inches above the top of your screen surface, to 15 inches below the bottom of the screen surface. Those are approximates, JVC doesn’t have exact numbers in its manual, but likely it’s 14 inches and change above and below.

There are some projectors with a bit more lens shift, but that’s pretty good flexibility. The horizontal lens shift allows a maximum of about 30 inches to the left or right of the center point.

Remember, that the two “work together” the more vertical you use, the less horizontal is available, and vice versa. If you have maximum vertical, there is no horizontal lens shift, and so on.

Anamorphic Lens

JVC offers an anamorphic lens and motorized sled for the JVC DLA-RS35, and HD990. JVC uses a Panamorph lens, and sled. If you buy it from JVC, instead of Panamorph (through your dealer, either way), you’ll get a custom mounting plate for the sled, instead of a “universal” one with lots of different holes to support many projectors. It’s your call. It’s possible you can save money using the generic. If you are going through a local dealer, you’ll spend less money on the mounting, with the JVC custom version, which might offset the higher cost. If you are doing it yourself, well, a custom plate is easier, obviously, but if you have talent with such things, I’m sure the generic plate will serve you just as well, even if it takes a bit longer.